Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup

I don’t think we’ve slurped enough this season.

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup / Bev Cooks

Usually I say this next sentence towards the end, but I just can’t rightly deal with suffering in silence that long. I cannot WAIT for you to make this soup! It has everything. Yesyesyesyesyesyes. (<–name that character)

Sausage (yes), mini pasta (hurts), rustic fire-roasted tomatoes (heavens), cream (can’t), kale (won’t), veggies (will), cheese (just did), and lemon (doing it again).

Did I mention it’s creamy?

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup / Bev Cooks

If there’s one thing I’ve learned behind bars. . .  Wait, I mean in the kitchen! Ignore that first part. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the kitchen, it’s that cream and acid go together like boom. So don’t evah forget the lemon juice! Especially right at the end. One good squeeze of lemon juice over the final product takes it from here (hand is way down low) to HERE (hand is like, on the roof in a tree floating away with balloons). If you do forget it, your master bathroom will be haunted with ghost slugs for the next 15 months. You don’t want that to happen, do you? No. Get the lemon.

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup / Bev Cooks

This soup is sort of a riff on my basic Sausage and Kale Soup, only on speed. It’s got more OOMPH in it. Instead of beans, we’re going with pasta (winter is coming so it’s okay). Instead of straight broth, it’s lined with silky cream (winter is coming so it’s okay). Instead of green bells, we’re swapping in red onion and carrots (winter is coming so it’s okay). And we’re adding rustic fire-roasted tomatoes because my soul fairies had a conference and it was unanimous (and winter is coming so it’s okay). And crusty bread! Serve with crusty bread.

(winter is coming so it’s okay. actually mandatory.)

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup / Bev Cooks

Get slurpy.

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup:

what it took for like seriously 8 people:

* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 1 1/2 pound Italian sausage (already out of casings)
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 1/2 red onion, diced
* 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
* 1(1pound 12 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
* 6 cups chicken stock + two cups water
* 4-5 cups kale
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 cup tiny pasta rings (or whatever your favorite tiny pasta is)
* 2 lemons
* freshly grated parmesan
* parsley, for garnish
* salt and pepper

Heat a Tbs. of oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high. Add the sausage and cook until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

To the pan, add the remaining oil along with the carrots and onions. Sauté about 6 minutes, until they begin to soften. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, stock, water, kale, pasta and the reserved sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about ten minutes, wilting the kale.

Add the cream and simmer for just a few more minutes. At this point check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, and a couple Tbs. of fresh lemon juice. Okay now taste it. Good grief.

Ladle and serve with more lemon wedges, fresh parsley and parmesan!

Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup / Bev Cooks

You do know it’s creamy, right?

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29 Responses to Creamy Sausage and Kale Soup

  1. Teresa (T) November 12, 2015 at 8:27 am #
    Oh man, this looks awesome! Being that I am plant based I will just change up a few goodies; Italian Sausage (Field Roast Grain Italian Sausage- have you tried these yet......Out-of-this-world), Cream (Soy or Coconut Milk Cream) and for the Chicken Stock (Veggie broth with Better Than Boulion No Chicken). Can't wait! Bev, you rock it in the kitchen! :) Teresa (T)
    • Caitlin November 12, 2015 at 8:40 am #
      I didn't know they made soy cream! This makes me very happy. And I also can't wait to try this soup!
    • Shannon Loveless October 28, 2019 at 7:56 pm #
      This soup is AMAZING and I make it using full fat coconut milk rather than heavy cream and it’s wonderful. I also add a teaspoon of my favorite hot sauce for a little kick;)
  2. Dani Mendocha | Styled Variety November 12, 2015 at 8:40 am #
    This soup looks so comforting and delicious! :) Dani | www.styledvariety.com
  3. Christy November 12, 2015 at 12:48 pm #
    Does this recipe make a giant pot-full like pictured? Because I know that's how much I'll want.
    • Bev Weidner November 13, 2015 at 7:46 am #
      Oh man, it totally does! I updated the recipe because I forgot to add the servings. :)
  4. Jill November 12, 2015 at 2:47 pm #
    Do you think I could use buttermilk instead of the cream and lemon?? It's so crazy, it just might work. Thoughts?
    • Bev Weidner November 13, 2015 at 7:45 am #
      You know, I'm not sure! To be honest the idea of buttermilk sounds scary to me. Would it be too bitter? Have you subbed it before in something similar like this? I you have experience in the swappage (<-what) then go for it! But I'd be nervous. :)
  5. Bella November 12, 2015 at 3:21 pm #
    That looks fantastic I love soup I could have it everyday http://xoxobella.com
  6. Susan S November 13, 2015 at 10:20 am #
    Do you know how I look forward to your posts? A LOT! This soup looks so delish and it will be made in my house and soon. Love your humor, your adorable baby pics, your recipes and your rambling observations. Don't ever question what you do and don't ever quit. Your blog is my fave.
  7. Ashton November 13, 2015 at 3:15 pm #
    Just set some sausage out to make a big pot of this for the weekend. Sounds delicious!
  8. Kelly November 13, 2015 at 6:54 pm #
    Love your blog and this recipe. Perfect winter comfort food!
  9. Michele November 15, 2015 at 10:26 am #
    It's finally fall here in Southern California...don't judge anything below 65 is chilly to us weather wimps. That said it was time for soups! This was amazing and a hit with hubs last night! Along with crusty bread for mopping and wine it was the perfect dinner! And amazingly had all the ingredients (always Italian sausage and heavy cream portioned in freezer). And enough left for a second meal. Love your site Bev and looking forward to more soup recipes!
  10. Kayla November 15, 2015 at 5:49 pm #
    I made this over the weekend. Amazing! It was a big hit. Thank you!!
  11. Heather November 16, 2015 at 9:43 am #
    Man, this looks good. I literally never buy cream (I know), but I think I'll have to make an exception.
  12. Michaela November 17, 2015 at 12:14 pm #
    I made this the other night and it was AMAZING. I'll be making this all winter long!
  13. Rose H. November 21, 2015 at 10:30 pm #
    I made this last night and my husband and I are ADDICTED!! Aaannnd I'm making it again in the next couple days because it's that good.
  14. Tenile November 29, 2015 at 4:21 pm #
    Make this people! AMAZING!
  15. O Humphries December 10, 2015 at 2:05 am #
    Your soup looks wonderful. I am sure it tastes good too. I just wonder what could I replace the sausage with?
    • Bev Weidner December 10, 2015 at 11:41 am #
      You can really sub any minced meat! Or even shredded chicken (like from a rotis). That would be amazing!
  16. Noelle December 10, 2015 at 11:00 am #
    This was the first recipe of yours that I have tried as I've only recently started reading your blog. It was amazing! Like, seriously amazing. Adding this into the rotation and can't wait to try some of your other recipes. Thanks!
  17. Traci January 5, 2016 at 10:16 am #
    PHENOMENAL!!! I'm SO very sad that I just finished eating the last of it last night. It IS a freezer-friendly soup, SANS pasta. So, make the soup (without the pasta) and put in freezer containers. When you want to eat some, put the frozen chunk of deliciousness into a pot with extra water and add your itty bitty pasta. Add the water in small amounts so you don't dilute all your hard work.
  18. Katie August 29, 2017 at 6:00 pm #
    I know I am late to the game, but I just made this soup and it is FABULOUS! It takes a lot for soup to impress me and I am thrilled to add this recipe to the rotation!
  19. Melanie January 2, 2018 at 11:27 am #
    Just made this soup, and it turned out SO good. I used half sweet, half spicy italian sausage which gave it a nice little punch. I froze half of it over the weekend, and am having one of the frozen portions for lunch today. Delicious! Thanks for another great recipe =)
  20. Liv B May 4, 2018 at 2:46 am #
    So it's 2018 & I bought some kale (WHAT!?) in order to make a kale & sausage soup. I did some huntin' and found this recipe & have already made it ahead of dinner. The only disappointment? It's not dinner time :'( so. damn. tasty.
  21. Melinda P. January 8, 2019 at 5:06 am #
    My boyfriend loves soup and being that its January and cold, I wanted to warm things up with this recipe. The problem was I didnt restore my wares. So I tried this recipe with some variations based on what I had in my pantry/fridge: - I used Premio cheese and basil sausage - low sodium chicken broth - No red onion, so I used yellow onion - 2 cloves of roasted garlic - had spinach and kale handy so I used both - no can of roasted tomatoes so I used one can of Rotel that had fire roasted tomatoes in it and another can of whole steamer and peeled tomatoes, which I drained and diced up. - I didnt want to use heavy cream , I opted to use a cup of coconut milk, which I think played nicely to the heat of the chilies from the Rotel - elbow macaroni was the smallest pasta I had lol I loved the look and flavor profile of your soup and wanted to give it a go even if I didnt have all the ingredients. My boyfriend and I thought it was amazing! Just wanted to share my variation just in case ^-^ Buen provecho!
  22. Shiv P December 14, 2020 at 7:50 pm #
    A win!! Made this soup tonite and it was a total crowd pleaser. I used my instapot and made a few changes. I added mushrooms as I sautéed on the stove. Also used orecchiette pasta, added thyme and a bayleaf. Finally added a spoonful of Better than bouillon chicken for a punch of flavor. Put it on the pressure cook mode for 10 minutes after I sautéed the sausage and veggies. After it was done, added the cream and lemon juice. It was awesome. Approved by my 7 and 9 year olds and my hubs!! Winner!! Thanks so much

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